VCCA Home Forums TECHNICAL - 1945 AND EARLIER 1929-1932 Looking for some direction on 32' Oldsmobile

I'm hoping someone here can tell me where I might look for information and help on a 32' Oldsmobile. (possibly friends of members with Olds?) I'm going to look at a 32' Olds roadster in need of resto tomorrow and might buy it. There was only 760 +/- units made and currently only 5 restored from what I've been told. Car is in extremely good shape and fully complete plus many extra parts. Been in storage in a large collection for 60+ years. The Olds, though called a roadster, was really a cabriolet model with the working "S" roof arms and door mounted, roll up windows. They made both wire and wood spoke models, both with 6cyl and 8's. This is a 6 with the wood spoke wheels. I want to find out as much about it as I can before I make an offer/buy the car. Restored value is pretty high. Owner told me the car is about 10% larger than a 32' Chevy (116.5 wheelbase vs. 108 9/16) and is more in the size of the Buick, LaSalle models. It's a very classy, elegant looking car.
Thanks in advance, Ted

You might want to look in the AACA.org website. They allow non members to look at their posts. A friend who passed away last year had a 30 Olds roadster he sold shortly before his death. It was going to be a big, very distinctive car when restored. There are a lot of parts left over from it and the parts sedan he had. The Olds models had a lot of pot metal that was chromed.

I agree, also on the AACA Forum site there is a section specifically for Olds - Olds Forums

Great group of people over there

I would post in the General Discussion Forum that is where most of the traffic goes, and should get plenty of input and pointed in the right direction.

The National Antique Oldsmobile Club is what you are looking for.
Note that in 1932 there was both a 6 and 8 cylinder car. The 8 would be very rare.

One of the Northern New England Region members is also an Oldsmobile club member and past president. He resides in Fl. at this time of year. I'll send you his contact info in a PM.

THanks for all the advise guys. Got a chance to look at the car today when I was in the area for work. Got to get a better grasp on the model and rarity to know what the value is in the state it sits. I think the price is high but I could be wrong. It is not complete but not missing much. All missing parts are with the rumble seat; rear cushion, handle, latch. It is also missing the original Stromberg automatic choke. Other than that, it seems to be all there. Has some body rust but all new patch panels are included. Motor is free but who knows if it needs some work, no work, or a lot of work. Ah, decisions! LOL

I'm just winding up the restoration of my 32 cabriolet and am looking for a project to keep me busy till I fit into a box. If you decide not to buy the vehicle, would you let me know its whereabouts and what they are asking. I still have my first born which might serve as a down payment! Jim

You'll probably need your first born, LOL, he's asking $15k. Not sure if I'd give him my first but he can have the second.

Actually talked with a couple Olds guys and they both feel the price it too high also. Interior, roof, paint, and chrome alone will add $15-18k then if the motor needs a total RB!

Jim,

It is on the AACA buy sell site.

http://forums.aaca.org/topic/266513-fs-1932-olds-roadster-conv-coupe-15k/

Dave

Some assembly required...
as well as some BANK !!

Beautiful car, would love to have that sitting in the garage !!

The price may be high as well as additional dollars, however when done correctly it will be a very nice and valuable car. I think that even a Chevy sedan (in similar condition) if completely restored would run 20-30 thousand and that is with owner labor. A fellow that collected Packards advised me that it does not cost any more for labor and such to do a Packard versus a Chevy, but there will be a big difference in the final value. Initial investment needs to be a consideration and final value should also. Might be interesting to see what recent sales of similar cars were.

While the car is rare, old Oldsmobiles (and Pontiacs) have a scant following. It was a mid-sized car that few people look for. A Chevrolet on the bottom end or a Buick on the top end would be much easier to find a buyer for and be worth more money.

[b][/b]that's a really nice 32 olds CABRIOLET and body would be made by fisher and therefor all the fisher hardware , hinges, locks ect will all work on this car. maybe even some chevy stuff like the lock and striker for the rumble seat.

Has the 5 doors in the hood, VERY SLICK, also the GOLF CLUB BAG DOOR in the passenger side. Hopefully it has the straight 8, first year for the straight 8 olds and ran too 1936 I believe ?

Plating the cabriolet cast windshield frame is going to cost plenty moooooola and not to be trusted to regular plater.

I remember finding the GM oldsmobile museum site and they had a fantastic tri tone painted original 32, stunning.

mike

Don't want to cut someone out but will take a look then get back if it lights my candle. Jim

Talked with the owner and was tempted to buy (subject to Ted having first right of refusal) but finally decided to take a rain check. Have been spoiled by the Filing Station, Don Rossi, and a host of other providers, not to mention this excellent web site, non of which would be available if I owned the car. It would have been fun. Jim

Going up on Friday morning to try and start the car. Knowing what the motor's condition is will help in my decision. He's had a decent, higher offer on the car than mine but if I can get it running and it sounds good, I might end up being an Olds owner.

This car is not "little" by any means. It's quite a bit bigger than a 32' Chevy Roadster/Cabriolet (8+" longer wheelbase). Even though the Old's is really a cabriolet, Olds referred to it as their "roadster" model. It is the six and not the eight. The long hood still looks good though!

I'll let everyone here know how it goes. Thanks for all the help and advise.

Ted:

Take a look at my PM

Jim

OK, no one get mad at me but while I'm still a Chevy guy, I've decided to share my time with the Olds side. Yup, I bought the car. Went up on Thurs. with my box of essentials to try and fire it up. Mystery oiled the cyls, found one exhaust valve hanging slightly so tapped it down twice then it freed right up. Fixed a bad coil to cap ignition wire, and wired from the starter post direct to the coil. (car has the wrong coil set up in it now with a coil mounted on the cowl. Original is mounted inside the car behind the key).
I disconnected the main harness feed off the starter terminal as the wiring is shot so there would be no shorts or fires. Disconnected the fuel pump hose off the fuel line, cleaned the pump bowl, added gas to the bowl, attached the hose from my makeshift fuel tank, and then turned the car over with the hand crank many times. (crank case oil looked especially good and for a quick start I saw no need to change). Once all seemed real good and I was happy with what I saw, a 10cc syringe of fuel was shot in each cylinder and the plugs/wires put back. With a helper operating the choke, the fast idle set (Olds had that feature, step on the accelerator, rotate a ring in the center of the steering wheel, and fast idle would set), me operating the starting linkage hood side, and contacting the coil jump wire to the starter post, the motor fired and came alive! (I did have a fire extinguisher on hand for those who thought about it!)
The car runs very well and even accelerated fine. Of course it wasn't run for very long and allowed to cool each time but I started it about 5-6 times. The carb originally showed some wetness around it's base when we were choking it and fuel pump leaked from the bowl gasket but all that stopped during this process. This car wants to be back on the road for sure.

After a lengthy discussion with the wife (she has to be happy too!) the car will be painted the correct Vancouver and Oyster blue combination. I got some very good news also. There was a total of only 249, 6cyl, 6 wheel(deluxe), wooden spoked roadsters made! This makes this car pretty rare indeed. While it's not a Duesy or Packard, it will be my "Duesy,Packard" and should still be worth a fair amount and much more than a Model A. I know when I go to show some day, I won't be in a line of the same model anyway. I can already picture myself driving down the road with the windshield folded, a Ivy hat on backwards, and a nice pair of leather driving googles on. Of course, the wife alongside me. Not sure if she's going to appreciate wearing googles though! I'm going to post some pictures in the members area that I took.

Thanks to all those who helped me get the info I need and especially to Steve who got me directly to the right people to help me make my decision.
Ted

Have fun with it.....Rare car...

awesome, and enjoy...

of course i am gonna want to see pictures and details of the Resto !!

Way to go Ted! If I were twenty years younger and fifteen grand richer it would have been me. Jim

Not going to touch it for a while Jerry. After your car is done and delivered I've got another coming in for an interior. I will clean it out of all the junk and raccoon droppings then put some antifreeze in it, clean the fuel tank, then run it around the property just to test it all out. Then it will be put away in my mom's garage until later this year. Plan will be to strip it of all the chrome so it can be sent out, then pull the body, put it on the rotisserie, then strip the chassis down. Have already started a list of the (few) missing parts so I can start looking now. Have already been in touch with two very informed Olds guys and they have put me on to where I'll need to go for some of what I need. Fortunately, one of them owns and fully restored a roadster 5yrs back. He's anxious and on board to offer me all the help and guidance I need to get the restoration done. Like many at this site, there are some on the Olds club who are just as helpful.

It's official, I own a 32' Olds Deluxe Convertible Roadster. It was delivered today.

Congratulations. When you do start working on it I hope you will keep us informed. Seeing the quality work you do I know it will be a very nice ride.

Thanks Steve. I would gladly post here if people wanted. The Olds forum seems to have very little going on and I've tried contacting half a dozen people. Three have been extremely helpful and three won't even contact me back (I actually know they've gotten the message). So I guess I'm batting 50%. There's a much better crew of guys here based on my experience so far. The 32' Old's tech, Rush Wright is a great guy and been as helpful as he can but he lives in the hills of W. Va. and has no internet or computer. Hard to get much info other than by mail.

On the car: I cleaned it out and vacuumed it out today. Did a quick check on parts and found a couple more things I'll need. I'm sure the vertical mill, lathe, and welder are going to be busy on this car. I'm curious and not sure if any 32' Chevy roadster guys can answer this. The fender mounted step pad on the Olds appears to mount with one stud on a three holed plate to the fender. Is the Chevy like that? Also looking for a 32' Chevy rumble seat latch. I've been told it will work for my rumble lid but don't know. Sorry, so many questions but no one really to ask on the Olds side.